Playing basketball is all about speed, fast breaks, agility, and high-impact movements. It is a vertical sport that includes jumping and landing activities that might lead to injuries.

Some of the best NBA players’ careers have been ruined because of injuries. This makes the need for physical therapists important, especially for NBA players.

A physical therapist working with basketball players knows the key factors that help minimize injury risk and maximize performance.

Certain injuries are more common in basketball and can impact a player’s overall performance in the game.

Here are the most common basketball injuries.

1- ACL and MCL Injuries

ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) is one of the key ligaments that connect the thigh bone (femur) to the shinbone (tibia). It helps stabilize your knee joint. ACL injury happens when a player stops suddenly or changes the direction, resulting in stretching and tearing in the knee tissue.

On the other hand, MCL refers to a thick band of tissue on the inside of your knee that connects the thigh bone to your lower leg. MCL (medial collateral ligament) injury happens when the side of your knee is hit hard. It could be due to a collision with another player.

2- Ankle Sprains

Ankle sprains are common in basketball, caused by overextension or a loss of balance when moving quickly. Basketball players are most likely to injure their ankle when they slow down, pivot, or land after a jump.

When the ankle rolls outward, the ligaments that connect the bones can stretch and tear. The injury could be as minor as stretching and as major as complete tearing of the ligamentous complex.

3- Fractured Kneecaps

In basketball, the kneecap fracture is mainly caused when the player lands directly on the kneecap. This can also happen if the knee is in a semi-flexed position during a fall.

The pain in this injury is felt behind the kneecap, where the knee meets the thigh bone. The pain is the result of excessive joint pressure due to poor kneecap alignment, affecting the joint surface behind the kneecap.

4- Hip and Thigh Contusions

Pelvis, hip, and thigh injuries in professional basketball players are extra-articular strains and contusions.

Hip and thigh contusions are common in sports like basketball, soccer, and football due to player-to-player contact. A sudden force to the quadriceps muscle causes the injury, which can significantly damage the tissue. This force is usually caused by another player, a sport attribute, or a misplaced fall on a severe object.

5- Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Patellofemoral pain syndrome refers to the pain in the front of the knee and around the kneecap. Sports players who participate in games that involve running, jumping, or squatting, frequently are more likely to face patellofemoral pain syndrome.

The increase in training intensity or volume puts repeated stress in the knee, resulting in pain behind the kneecap. Players with a tight hamstring, weak thigh, and hip muscles are at a higher risk.

 

Physical Therapy for Basketball Players

Physical therapy helps players avoid injury in the first place with targeted training. Most physical therapy programs for basketball players include stretching, strengthening, and conditioning.

1- Stretching Exercises for Inflexible Areas of the Body

After an evaluation, a physical therapist can work closely with athletes do determine the best treatment plan moving forward.  Some common stretches used for basketball players include:

● Rotating stomach and side stretch
● Squatting leg-out groin and adductor Stretch
● Single heel-drop calf and Achilles stretch.

These basketball stretches are best after the workout to improve flexibility.

2- Strengthening Exercises for Weak Muscles or Muscle Imbalance

Every basketball player has a difference in strength, power, and stability between their right and left legs. The players’ dominant leg plays a role in imbalance. Players prefer to use the stronger leg, which increases the chances of injury when the weaker leg is forced to use. To help identify these imbalances, a physical therapist may recommend a Functional Movement Screening (FMS). An FMS is a quantifiable method of evaluating basic movement abilities, and will help your therapist determine and address areas of weakness and imbalance.

3- Manual (Hands-on) Therapy to Address Any Sore or Painful Areas

Manual therapy involves kneading and manipulating soft tissues and joints, which increase circulation, reduce scar tissue, relax muscles, and decrease pain. This hands-on approach combined with a full treatment plan often yields faster recovery times.

4- Basketball-specific Training That Mimics the Action on the Court

Basketball training should be relevant to the game to produce desired results. A basketball player’s training must go from highly general to very specific. The goal of basketball conditioning is to create a practice that is highly specific to the game. This maximizes players’ focus on skill and tactical development while reducing the chances of injuries during the match.

Final Thoughts

Injuries like ACL, MCL, and ankle sprains are more common in basketball. Prevention of injuries is an essential aspect of an athlete’s healthcare. Comprehensive physical therapy programs are generally provided to the NBA players. If you are in pain or looking to avoid a basketball injury on the court, please find the physical therapist nearest you.

If you’re taking part in a sport and training regularly to hit peak performance, you’ll understand the impact an injury can have. Lost training days, empty pages on the diary, targets to revise and thoughts going around your head – what do I do now? The number one rule is don’t try to carry on. You could make the injury worse. Even if you feel okay, there’s a good chance you’ll pick up an injury somewhere else because you’re moving unnaturally by trying to protect the injured area.

The first step with minor injuries like muscle pulls or sprains is to get some ice on the injured area. That helps increase blood flow and starts removing waste from the injury. If your injury is more serious, get to a doctor or physical therapist for an assessment.

Healthcare professionals now recognize the health benefits of exercise and take a more positive attitude to injuries sustained through sport — that wasn’t always the case. But, qualified physical therapists specialize in sports injuries so you can be confident of expert advice, and a sympathetic ear.

Getting Back To Fitness After Injury

Look ahead

When you know the extent of your injury, it’s time to start looking ahead with a positive mindset. Forget the initial disappointment and frustration. Recovery programs are based on progressive exercise, not weeks or months of non-activity. Work out how you’re going to get your regular training and fitness routines back on track. Investing in a fitness tracker could help motivate you and keep track of your progress.

Top tip: Avoid the cookie jar. You know that old cliché ‘no pain, no gain’, now think ‘no train, weight gain.’

Start slowly

You’ve got the good news; your injury can be treated. You can’t wait to get back but don’t be tempted to rush recovery. If your physical therapist prescribes a course of treatment or exercises, stick to it and complete the course. You might think you’ve recovered and can get back to your normal training levels. Just ask around – hands up, who had to go back to physical therapy again?

Any exercise in your recovery period must start easy— and be progressive. So, easy jogging maybe, light stretches and simple exercises to flex and strengthen the injured area. If you’re running, the grass is easier on the legs than the road and the uneven surface can actually strengthen joints by making them work harder.

An alternative approach is to exercise in a different way. Swimming and cycling, for example, don’t affect the weight-bearing joints and muscles like running. But you’re still getting a good cardio workout. Whatever you do, make sure you can handle the work without strain. The same goes for the physical therapist’s exercise routines. Follow the instructions carefully.

Plan your return

Now you’re in recovery mode, you can start thinking about a return to normal levels. Put some realistic dates in your diary — can I make the big game, that local competition, or one of my favorite races? Targets for recovery are just as motivating as targets for competition. But, don’t be ruled by them, your recovery could take longer. Complete recovery comes first.

It’s also important to think about the injury. What caused it? Was it poor form, excessive training with no time for recovery between sessions, worn-out shoes if you’re a runner, or just an unfortunate accident?

Understanding the cause of the injury can help you plan your sessions when you eventually return to fitness. Think about reducing the duration or intensity of your training sessions, to begin with. Then plan a sensible, progressive build-up.

Follow hard days with easy days if you train every day and include one day of complete rest or different types of exercise every week. Make sure you build recovery into your program — overuse is a major cause of injuries.

Improve all-round fitness

If you haven’t included alternative exercises in your training programs before, think about it now. Most sportspeople focus on the muscle groups specific to their sport and ignore the rest. That can lead to an imbalance in the body and could be an underlying cause if you suffer frequent injuries.
Ask your physical therapist for advice. They will almost certainly recommend exercises to strengthen the core, plus some fitness routines to strengthen antagonistic muscle groups. Better all-round fitness can put you in great shape for improved performance when you return.

Recovering from non-sports injuries

While much of the focus of exercise-based recovery has been on sports injuries, recent research at Columbia University’s Zuckerman Institute has highlighted the potential importance of exercise for patients recovering from a stroke or serious brain injuries. It is said that exercise and physical therapy is just as important for these patients as speech therapy.

Experiments with mice indicated that mice given a complete rest were slower to return to normal functions than mice that re-engaged earlier with an activity like using whiskers for detection. Looking at the potential for people, the researchers believe that introducing simple exercise tasks earlier can stimulate and re-activate important areas of the brain and promote faster recovery.

Consider booking an online physical therapy appointment

Although we strongly recommend consulting a physical therapist, COVID-19 has made it difficult for them to offer normal assessment and treatment services in person. Fortunately, we work with some fantastic physical and occupational therapists who provide a range of assessments, recovery programs and can help you get back to your routine fitness after injury.

To find out more, contact our friendly team. Here you can learn about an injury, how physical therapy can treat it, and find a physical therapy clinic in your area.